The March 7th, 2014 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Pujols upset over comparison to Trout, Burnett might open season on DL and much more…
The Monkey Says: That happened weeks ago and he is still pissed off about enough to tell another reporter about it. Suffice it to say, Pujols has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. That could be a motivator, but it could also make him a malcontent over the fact that Trout is getting all the attention. This does nothing to dispel rumors that Pujols helped pushed Torii Hunter out of the door because Albert was jealous of his leadership role in the clubhouse.
The Monkey Says: This is supposedly just caution and not a setback, but I'm not totally sure I buy that explanation. Even if they are just trying to treat him with kid gloves, it seems unlikely that he will start the season on the disabled list. Brian Moran is delighted to hear this news.
The Story: Dane De La Rosa needed an MRI due to tightness in his right forearm after his outing yesterday.
The Monkey Says: As the tweet suggests, they are hoping it is just a pinched nerve. If it isn't, that would mean something potentially much more severe, which would be very bad news for the Angels bullpen as DDLR is expected to be a workhorse right-handed setup man.
The Story: Josh Hamilton has begun running on a treadmill.
The Monkey Says: Finally, some good news on the injury front. At this rate, Josh may not get the number of plate appearances he wants before the seasons tarts, but he'll definitely be healthy well before Opening Day.
The Monkey Says: In case anyone was starting to worry about the lack of updates in recent days.
The Story: Mike Trout said some nice things about Yasiel Puig.
The Monkey Says: Much to the disappointment of reporters who were hoping to bait Trout into sparking a personal rivalry with the other young star in Los Angeles (and its surrounding areas).
The Story: Chad Tracy compares Mike Trout and Bryce Harper but doesn't pick a favorite.
The Monkey Says: Because reporters are going to create a rivalry between Trout and someone if it is the last thing they do! Who cares if he has never actually played a game against either guy. Details, baby, details.
The Story: Ernesto Frieri is one of Jay Jaffe's picks to be a bust in 2014.
The Monkey Says: As I projected earlier, I am expecting about the same from Frieri as we saw in 2013. Maybe that qualifies as a bust, but I really doubt Frieri will actually lose the closer gig.
The Story: The first dozen games of the Angels season will be huge for them.
The Monkey Says: I'd rather not talk about the pressure on the Angels to win in April. It just never seems to end well.
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